Morphological and chemical evidence for cyclic bone growth in a fossil hyaena

DOI: 10.1039/C8JA00314A

Authors: Jennifer Anne (University of Manchester; The Children's Museum of Indianapolis) , Roya A. Wogelius (University of Manchester) , Nicholas P. Edwards (University of Manchester) , Arjen Van Veelen (University of Manchester; University of Southampton) , Michael Buckley (University of Manchester) , William Sellers (University of Manchester) , Uwe Bergmann (SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory) , Dimosthenis Sokaras (SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory) , Roberto Alonso-Mori (SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory) , Virginia L. Harvey (University of Manchester) , Victoria M. Egerton (University of Manchester; The Children's Museum of Indianapolis) , Phillip L. Manning (University of Manchester; The Children's Museum of Indianapolis)
Co-authored by industrial partner: No

Type: Journal Paper
Journal: Journal Of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry , VOL 487

State: Published (Approved)
Published: October 2018
Diamond Proposal Number(s): 9488

Abstract: Trace element inventories are known to correlate with specific histological structures in bone, reflecting organismal physiology and life histories. By studying trace elements in fossilised bone, particularly in individuals with cyclic bone growth (alternating fast/slow bone deposition), we can improve our understanding of the physiology of extinct organisms. In this study we present the first direct comparison between optical histology (bone tissue identification) and synchrotron-based chemical mapping, quantification, and characterisation of trace elements (biochemistry) within cyclic growth tissues, in this case within bones of a cave hyaena (Crocuta crocuta spelaea). Results show distributions of zinc, an element strongly associated with active ossification and bone growth, correlating with (1) fast-growing tissue of zonal bone (cyclic growth) in an extinct hyaena and (2) secondary osteons (remodelling) in both extant and extinct hyaena. Concentrations and coordination chemistry of zinc within the fossil sample are comparable to those seen in extant bone suggesting that zinc is endogenous to the sample and that the chemistry of bone growth has been preserved for 40 ka. These results demonstrate that the study of trace elements as part of the histochemistry has wide utility for reconstructing growth, diet and other lifestyle factors in archaeological and fossil bone.

Diamond Keywords: Bone

Subject Areas: Chemistry, Biology and Bio-materials, Earth Science


Instruments: I18-Microfocus Spectroscopy

Other Facilities: Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource

Added On: 26/11/2018 11:43

Discipline Tags:

Earth Sciences & Environment Palaeontology Biochemistry Chemistry Geology Life Sciences & Biotech

Technical Tags:

Imaging X-ray Fluorescence (XRF)